I fell in love with the cinema at a very early age, which is surprising because I was also somewhat scared of it. When I was young, I was terrified of loud noises, it took until my early teens to get over this fear, and so going to a cinema was always something that required a lot of energy for me because it is inherently a loud environment. But I always remember going to the local independent cinema with my dad of a weekend to see the latest Disney and Pixar films, the smell of the popcorn in the foyer, the plush dark carpets, getting my ticket punched when entering the screen, and the mechanical curtains that would pull back to reveal a world beyond my wildest imaginations.
So, when I got really deeply into film in my late teens one of the ‘must watch’ films I remember hearing about was Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 coming of age drama, Cinema Paradiso. I’m not really sure why it took me so long to get around to actually watching it, but thanks to it being available on Mubi I stuck it on one lazy afternoon and I’m so happy I finally did.
After learning about the death of his childhood friend Alfredo (Phillipe Norriet), esteemed film director Salvatore Di Vita (Jacques Perrin) recounts his childhood in his mind, where a young Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio & Marco Leonardi) learns about the magic of cinema, albeit censored by the local priest (Leopoldo Trieste), from Alfredo who is the projectionist at the local movie theatre.
So, when I got really deeply into film in my late teens one of the ‘must watch’ films I remember hearing about was Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 coming of age drama, Cinema Paradiso. I’m not really sure why it took me so long to get around to actually watching it, but thanks to it being available on Mubi I stuck it on one lazy afternoon and I’m so happy I finally did.
After learning about the death of his childhood friend Alfredo (Phillipe Norriet), esteemed film director Salvatore Di Vita (Jacques Perrin) recounts his childhood in his mind, where a young Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio & Marco Leonardi) learns about the magic of cinema, albeit censored by the local priest (Leopoldo Trieste), from Alfredo who is the projectionist at the local movie theatre.
I’d always heard great things about Cinema Paradiso but I must admit I was woefully unprepared for how good of a film it actually is, and I’m sure this review will say nothing new about what is undeniably a masterpiece, but I want to throw my hat into the ring anyway because it really is a film everyone should watch, particularly if you loved the cinema as a child.
Told through extended flashback sequences, the film recounts how Salvatore (referred to endearingly as Toto by friends and family) discovered his love of film by assisting the priest with mass that was held in the cinema. He would spend every moment he could there, even sneaking glimpses of kissing out of wedlock which the priest had a firm and immovable disgust for.
Toto collects cut frames from the floor of the projection booth and stores them in a tin underneath his bed for closer inspection later, and projectionist Alfredo forms a reluctant friendship with him, eventually teaching him the ropes of how to operate the projection equipment, and bring the community together through the power of film.
Charting his life as he takes over from Alfredo during his later childhood, and eventually his decision to leave his hometown behind to pursue his dreams.
The emotional core of the film really is Norriet’s performance as Alfredo. He brings such a warmth to the film as he really is just a kind man who wants to bring people together through their love of film. He is the father figure Toto doesn’t otherwise have, and whilst he prefers to keep Toto at arm's length for what he claims is protection from dangerous equipment (which proves to be the case on more than one occasion), ultimately it’s because he sees such a brilliant spark in Toto that he doesn’t want him to spend his life stuck in a projection booth in the town he was born into. Norriet really ties the whole experience together, and it is genuinely heartbreaking when you reach his funeral towards the end of the film because you’ve grown to love this man as Toto did.
Cascio also delivers a great performance as a young Toto. It’s rare that child performances stand out as the best in a film, but Cascio is genuinely funny, mischievous, and extremely endearing. He hits all the right beats necessary to draw you in and help you see the world through his eyes, and whenever he and Norriet share the screen is truly is magical.
Told through extended flashback sequences, the film recounts how Salvatore (referred to endearingly as Toto by friends and family) discovered his love of film by assisting the priest with mass that was held in the cinema. He would spend every moment he could there, even sneaking glimpses of kissing out of wedlock which the priest had a firm and immovable disgust for.
Toto collects cut frames from the floor of the projection booth and stores them in a tin underneath his bed for closer inspection later, and projectionist Alfredo forms a reluctant friendship with him, eventually teaching him the ropes of how to operate the projection equipment, and bring the community together through the power of film.
Charting his life as he takes over from Alfredo during his later childhood, and eventually his decision to leave his hometown behind to pursue his dreams.
The emotional core of the film really is Norriet’s performance as Alfredo. He brings such a warmth to the film as he really is just a kind man who wants to bring people together through their love of film. He is the father figure Toto doesn’t otherwise have, and whilst he prefers to keep Toto at arm's length for what he claims is protection from dangerous equipment (which proves to be the case on more than one occasion), ultimately it’s because he sees such a brilliant spark in Toto that he doesn’t want him to spend his life stuck in a projection booth in the town he was born into. Norriet really ties the whole experience together, and it is genuinely heartbreaking when you reach his funeral towards the end of the film because you’ve grown to love this man as Toto did.
Cascio also delivers a great performance as a young Toto. It’s rare that child performances stand out as the best in a film, but Cascio is genuinely funny, mischievous, and extremely endearing. He hits all the right beats necessary to draw you in and help you see the world through his eyes, and whenever he and Norriet share the screen is truly is magical.
Shot in Sicily, the film looks gorgeous with some fantastic sets. It’s not overly inventive with cinematography or editing, but it uses its environments live it does its characters and fills them with such life that simply being there is a joy. The titular Cinema Paradiso itself is a wonderous building, and despite its small size it is the primary location of the film and Tornatore always manages to make it feel impressive and grand.
Andrea and Ennio Morricone provide the film’s score and it complements the beautiful performances and scenery so well, and it did manage to bring a tear to my eye more than once with its dramatic swells that tap right into your emotions.
The one aspect of Cinema Paradiso that I wasn’t overly keen on was the pacing. It is a little slow, and for a two-and-a-half-hour film that’s not what you want. Though I didn’t watch it, there is an extended directors cut, though general opinion of this version is that the pacing is even slower and that the theatrical cut is the superior version of the film. Whilst there are occasions where it dragged, on the whole it wasn't enough to put a real dampener on the experience, but it is enough to make Cinema Paradiso a film I’m unlikely to return to frequently, just perhaps once every few years.
If you love film, then you owe it to yourself to watch Cinema Paradiso. It is a film specifically for people who love film, tapping into your most innocent and childlike joy of seeing moving pictures on a silver screen. The heart-warming performances from Norriet and Cascio really draw you in, and the fantastic score will ensure not a dry eye in the house. I may not have said anything new about Cinema Paradiso, but really that’s no bad thing. Clearly, it’s a great film, and personally I’m looking forward to returning to it in the future and going on that journey all over again.
Andrea and Ennio Morricone provide the film’s score and it complements the beautiful performances and scenery so well, and it did manage to bring a tear to my eye more than once with its dramatic swells that tap right into your emotions.
The one aspect of Cinema Paradiso that I wasn’t overly keen on was the pacing. It is a little slow, and for a two-and-a-half-hour film that’s not what you want. Though I didn’t watch it, there is an extended directors cut, though general opinion of this version is that the pacing is even slower and that the theatrical cut is the superior version of the film. Whilst there are occasions where it dragged, on the whole it wasn't enough to put a real dampener on the experience, but it is enough to make Cinema Paradiso a film I’m unlikely to return to frequently, just perhaps once every few years.
If you love film, then you owe it to yourself to watch Cinema Paradiso. It is a film specifically for people who love film, tapping into your most innocent and childlike joy of seeing moving pictures on a silver screen. The heart-warming performances from Norriet and Cascio really draw you in, and the fantastic score will ensure not a dry eye in the house. I may not have said anything new about Cinema Paradiso, but really that’s no bad thing. Clearly, it’s a great film, and personally I’m looking forward to returning to it in the future and going on that journey all over again.